On Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:49:13 -0000, "JimBob" <
[email protected]> wrote:
>Already got a frame in mind but I need to know what kind of gears to use? Most tourers that I have
>seen seem to have MTB type gears, such as LX.
That certainly works well, and bits are easy to get.
>I was contemplating using the Shimano 105 (30-42-52 triple) gears from my race bike (upgrade the
>racer to campy perhaps). Could I use this in conjunction with an MTB cassette or would the gearing
>still be too high? I'm not very knowledgable in this area!
Very close to the gearing on my tourer, so you certainly can, although I might be tempted to swap
the rings for fractionally smaller ones as they wear out. LX is rated for 34T and certainly works
with 32T. It's also reliable, IME.
Avoid the standard 11-32 cassette, though, and see if you can get something like 13-34 Megarange;
don't worry too much about the overall capacity of the mech as you'll never use 30-13 or 52-34. For
loaded touring you might need lower gears, but for gentle trundles and nothing more than the
occasional short 1 in 4 something with a 13-30 spread should work fine, as long as you're tolerably
fit. I found a double-chevron hill which gave me some difficulty unloaded with my standard 31-26
bottom gear - I couldn't sit and spin, I had to stand up and hoof it, so as I was the leader for the
ride I was scouting out I fitted the cassette with the 30T bottom cog, because I didn't want to have
to sprint away and wait at the top. And then put the 13-26 back on afterwards, obviously
Some people don't like megarange. I'm not one of them. YMMV on this.
Also, I find bar-end shifters nice as they give you a good feel for how things are going "back
there" and with the 8sp LX give delightfully precise shifting. You also get the option of going to
friction if things go pear-shaped on tour - which you may not consider an issue, of course;
flight-deck is quite reliable and it's not too hard to adjust indexing anyway. But I like the
security of knowing I can go to friction. Make sure you get a good quality chain as this makes a
huge difference to the shifting with Shimano, IME.
>Is a beard also a requirement?
No more than the SKS mudguards with squeezy-bottle mudflaps or the Carradice saddlebag. Yes, in
other words :-D
Guy
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